Blood sugar response of dogs exposed to hypoxemia and/or hypocapnia

Abstract

Blood sugar levels of 93 dogs are reported. In animals in which respiration was controlled and hypoxemia or hypocapnia induced for 15 minutes, there was no change in blood sugar. However, there was an elevation when hypocapnia and hypoxemia were combined. Exposure for 30 minutes elevated blood sugar to a greater extent in the hypoxemic group than in the combined hypocapnic and hypoxemic group, whereas hypocapnia alone produced no change. Exposure of pentobarbital sodium-injected or uninjected dogs to 30,000 feet simulated altitude for 15 minutes failed to produce a statistically significant increase in blood sugar, although evidences were observed of a physiologically important increase.